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President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

whitehouse.gov

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Re: President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

#3
post #2

Because TC doesn't bother with the editing process anymore, here's a direct link to the letter: https://medium.com/@PresidentObama/my-plan-for-a-free-and-op...

Thanks kyro. Also, here's the link to whitehouse.gov page: http://www.whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality

Re: President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

#4
Since I have zero trust in Obama these days, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop - or to see what's Obama's angle in this. Is he doing it because he already knows a Republican-backed Congress and FCC have already made up their minds against net neutrality - and he just wants to be remembered that "he tried"?

Or is he supporting full net neutrality because that would give the government much more control over the Internet?

Either way I don't think he's doing this because "he cares". Whatever his angle/hidden agenda, it's probably a bad one for us.

Re: President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

#5
This proposition (implementation of some of the regulations required for telecommunication services under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934) is taken directly from a notice published by the FCC in 2010

http://www.fcc.gov/rulemaking/10-127

It has been argued previously that the FCC lacks the authority to reclassify Title II common carrier, and that such a reclassification could actually be damaging

http://www.mayerbrown.com/files/Publication/b3dde165-879d-41...

Re: President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

#6
I am not American (feel free to ignore my opinion) but this is just a bad joke from someone who seems to be an utmost failure.

Especially in light of last week FBI/NSA/DHS undermining TOR and killing its utility for any dissidents and free speech in authoritarian states. Under his watch the surveillance state has expanded and has become downright creepy

25 years after the fall of the Berlin wall we should be saying "Ich bin ein Ost-Berliner" :( The Stasi would be proud of the surveillance state that western countries have created with Obama at the helm.

edit: Oh i see the cult of personality is still strong in this one, downvoted in under a minute.

Re: President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

#7

Since I have zero trust in Obama these days, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop - or to see what's Obama's angle in this. Is he doing it because he already knows a Republican-backed Congress and FCC have already made up their minds against net neutrality - and he just wants to be remembered that "he tried"? Or is he supporting full net neutrality because that would give the government much more control over the I…

[deleted]

Re: President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

#8

Since I have zero trust in Obama these days, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop - or to see what's Obama's angle in this. Is he doing it because he already knows a Republican-backed Congress and FCC have already made up their minds against net neutrality - and he just wants to be remembered that "he tried"? Or is he supporting full net neutrality because that would give the government much more control over the I…

It could be a way for him to involve the demographic that elected him.

Last week, Obama said, "To the two-thirds of voters who chose not to participate in the process yesterday, I hear you, too" - http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obama-tells-gop-br-my-mand...

It could be a way to make Democrats relevant again, by being the party they're supposed to be. They just lost big by playing it safe, they might as well push something progressive.

It's not like they could loose any worse.

Re: President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

#9
Here's the thing that bothers me the most about a lot of the talk about net neutrality by government officials:

> If a consumer requests access to a website or service, and the content is legal, your ISP should not be permitted to block it.

Specifically "and the content is legal" is what raises a flag for me. I've seen similar phrases in nearly everything I've read coming from any government official regarding net neutrality.

If this phrasing makes it into eventual laws regarding net neutrality, it seems to me that it could easily require inspection of all traffic by ISPs to ensure the legality of traffic.

Re: President Obama Calls for a Free and Open Internet

#10

Since I have zero trust in Obama these days, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop - or to see what's Obama's angle in this. Is he doing it because he already knows a Republican-backed Congress and FCC have already made up their minds against net neutrality - and he just wants to be remembered that "he tried"? Or is he supporting full net neutrality because that would give the government much more control over the I…

I don't think that his angle necessarily has to be at odds with our angle(s). It could perhaps be that he's trying to change course after a horrible (to him/Democrats) midterm election season, or just to boost popularity of his party in general, which I'm sure works out better for him in the long run somehow. Though, this is the term where presidents are known for pretty much doing whatever they want since there's no looming election so it's really a good question what his motives are.
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